I definitely dispute the idea that homelessness is what drives construction in the United States. And I'd argue that in some cases building goes on "ahead of de

I definitely dispute the idea that homelessness is what drives construction in the United States. And I'd argue that in some cases building goes on "ahead of demand" in the USA as well, though it admittedly takes a lot of capital to do so, and of course it doesn't occur to the extent that China's planned economy allows for. (It also faces the same pitfalls; see Atlantic City, NJ for example.) I'd also submit that constructing buildings which never get occupied (or don't get occupied until they begin falling into a state of disrepair) is totally senseless regardless of scale.